Background information

science

energy and movement

Moving objects, like vehicles,  possess energy which means they can bring about change.    The amount of energy depends upon their mass and their speed.    When an object collides with another, energy is transferred from one object to the other and both objects may change their velocities (speed and direction of their movement).   This can explain what happens to vehicles involved in collisions.   Momentum describes the way moving objects continue with the same speed and in the same direction until another force acts on them.    This can explain what happens to passengers in vehicles which are involved in collisions.

energy chains

Traffic vehicles possess kinetic or movement energy which they most commonly obtain from chemical energy in petrol.    This fossil fuel energy can be traced back to solar energy which allowed photosynthesis in plants in prehistoric times.    It is a non-renewable resource and alternatives are being sought to replace it in the future.

environmental issues

Exhaust CO₂ from the use of fossil fuels in vehicles is a significant contributor to the green house gas problem and therefore is implicated in global warming.    Other less common components of vehicle exhaust may also cause air and water pollution and thus a safety risk to human health.

S&E

History

The development of motor vehicles has had a profound effect on many aspects of 20th century society, including mobility of people and access to education and employment, transport of goods and delivery of health care.   Not all changes have been positive as is exemplified by the problems associated with vehicle exhaust pollution

Health

Road accidents are a significant cause of injury and death, especially among young and elderly people.    Risk factors associated with these are the subject of intense research and information on ways to minimise these is available for all classes of road users.